SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) Brandon Lloyd returned to the San Francisco 49ers to finish what he started.

After taking a year off from football, Lloyd said he came back to the team that drafted him in the fourth round in 2003 because nobody else could offer what he wanted: a chance at redemption and a Super Bowl title.

"When I was younger, I was in love with the winning attitude and culture that the team had. And when I was finally able to play for the team, no one had that," said Lloyd, whose first stint with the 49ers was from 2003-05. "Now the team does have that, and San Francisco has always held a special place in my heart. And so I didn't explore any other options. I wanted to return to San Francisco and maybe bring a certain amount of closure to my career."